Happy Thanksgiving! & Happy Birthday?! for Larry Elgart….

davidbrubeck.com is pleased to continue our tradition of providing free music to our readers in celebration of the Thanksgiving Holiday in the United States for the blessings of gratitude celebrated around the globe. “Happy Birthday” has been dedicated to one of the most recorded big band leaders in the history of jazz, and a personal favorite-Larry Elgart.

I had the pleasure of playing in Larry’s Band for about two years when he moved to Florida. The band he assembled was an all-star group from all over the state-Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa-wherever. I remember playing with guitar great Jack Peterson and drummer Duffy Jackson, among others.

Larry was always a soft-spoken gentleman and a delight to work for. He played his alto saxophone as smoothly as anyone I had ever heard, and at a seductively rich sotto voce whisper, insisting that the saxophones do the same. The brass he let loose!

The arrangements were spectacular! Billy Butterfield, Billy May and many great arrangers filled his unique library culled from the more than 50 albums Larry had recorded as a leader or as a co-leader with his brother, Les. For bass a trombonist, Larry’s band was a dream come true, and the written bass trombone solos picked up where the solo figures of Nelson Riddle left off. Very prominent, exposed, and often aggressive, the featured bass trombone soloist was a clear signature of the band’s sound and a beautiful contrast to Larry’s alto.

Here’s to Larry, one of the greats!

Just a reminder, we have offered free music in the past. For your convenience, the Stereograms and solos for bass trombone have been listed below. Some are quite timely for the holidays…..enjoy!

SEVEN FREE STEREOGRAMS! (FROM STEREOGRAMS 1-20, 21-30, and beyond).

Drawing inspiration from the cello suites of J. S. Bach and vocalist Bobby McFerrin, David William Brubeck’s Stereograms have been performed and recorded throughout the globe. Though originally composed for bass trombone, almost all of the Stereograms have optional octave indications and work very well for euphonium, ‘cello, baritone, bassoon, and tenor trombone with ‘f’-attachment as well. (Separate editions have been transcribed for tuba and saxophone.)

CHRISTMAS AND HOLIDAY STEREOGRAMS
I love to use melodies as part of my warm-ups, and at this time of year Christmas melodies are irresistible! This was an improvisation that I transcribed, and polished a bit. See if you can figure out the beginning tune. Feel free to substitute sixteenth notes for thirty-seconds; I play it both ways! Hopefully, a few of these Stereograms will find their way to Salvation Army kettles. Enjoy.

Stereogram No. 40 is dedicated to Donald Knaub, a wonderful man and musician. As a bass trombonist, and particularly with his solo recordings, his influence has been enormous. Merry Christmas, Don!

davidbrubeck.com is delighted to continue the tradition of free music for bass trombone with Don Bowyer’s “50 + 50 Triathlon”, for unaccompanied bass trombone, goggles, racing number, and bicycle helmet. Don is a mutlifaceted musician and humanitarian who now makes his home in Arkansas. A gifted bass trombonist, music writer, and educator, Don has graciously allowed us to publish this miniature in three movements. Each movement includes 50 notes for the first 50 years and 50 more, for 50 50 fifty more! Written for Carolyn of her 50th birthday, and commissioned by Von Graves. Enjoy!

Don Bowyer is Dean of the College of Fine Arts at Arkansas State University, having previously taught at every level from kindergarten through university in the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Sweden. Bowyer received his Doctor of Arts from the University of Northern Colorado, his Master of Arts from California State University at Northridge, and his Bachelor of Arts from West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Active in the fields of composition, music technology, and performance, Bowyer has published more than 60 pieces of music, developed an educational computer program (which has been used in more than 120 countries), and has performed all over the globe. Among numerous performing credits, Bowyer spent five years playing trombone on eleven cruise ships in the Caribbean Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Gulf of Alaska. The first ten didn’t sink; see donbowyer.com/aground, for an account of the eleventh!